Nevada’s embattled senior Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) spoke on the Senate floor this morning and served up a series of whoppers — even for a longtime politician well-known for putting his foot in his mouth and stretching the truth.

For your background, please see just a few of them below and consider the following statement from the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC):

“There’s little doubt that from Harry Reid’s sunny perch at his Ritz-Carlton home in Washington, the sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and the massive $13 trillion federal debt he has played a big role in creating, will one day just magically disappear. But in the real world, Nevada leads the nation in unemployment, federal government spending is out of control, and families are working harder and saving less. Time and again, Harry Reid’s own words and actions demonstrate that he is completely out of touch with what working families and small businesses are facing every day in Nevada. We need to restore accountability and responsibility in Washington D.C., and that’s why it’s important to retire Harry Reid and elect Sharron Angle this November.” – Brian Walsh, NRSC Communications Director

REID CLAIM #1

REID RHETORIC: The Stimulus Worked

• SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV): “My friend says that the stimulus has caused job loss. Again, Mr. President, that’s without any factual basis. In fact, just the opposite. It saved or created 3 million jobs.” (Sen. Reid, Floor Remarks, 7/21/10)

REALITY: Nevada’s Unemployment Has Continued To Climb

• Nevada Unemployment Rate In February 2009: 10%  
• Reid: “This Is Good Legislation That Creates Jobs Here In Nevada And Will Help Get Both Our State And National Economies Back On Track.” (Senator Harry Reid, “Nevada Gets Its Share And More In Economic Recovery Package,” Press Release, 2/20/09)
• Nevada Unemployment Rate Today: 14.2%

REID CLAIM #2

REID RHETORIC: Majority Support Health Care Law

• SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV): “Remember, Any Poll You See Today, The Majority Of The American People Support What We Did Here With Health Care.” (Sen. Reid, Floor Remarks, 7/21/10)

REALITY: Recent Polling Shows Under 40% Of  Americans Approve Of The New Health Care Law

• Pew Poll: “Do You Approve Or Disapprove Of The Health Care Legislation Passed By Barack Obama And Congress In March? Approve 35% … Disapprove: 47%.” (Pew Research Center / National Journal Congressional Connection Poll, P.1, 7/8-11/10)
• CBS Poll: “Health Care Reform Law: Approve 36% … Disapprove 49.” “More Americans disapprove than approve of the health care bill that was signed into law in March. 36% support the law, down seven points from last month, and similar to the level it was in late March.” (CBS News Poll, P.6, 7/6/10)
• PPP Poll: “Do You Support Or Oppose President Obama’s Health Care Plan, Or Do You Not Have An Opinion? … Support 40% … Oppose 53% … No Opinion 7%.” (Public Policy Polling, “More Than 50% Of Voters Disapprove,” Press Release, P.3, 7/13/10)

REID CLAIM #3

REID RHETORIC: Wall Street Does Not Support This Reform Bill

• SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV): “To Think That Banks, Wall Street, Liked Wall Street Reform Is A Stretch Beyond Our Ability To Comprehend.” (Sen. Reid, Floor Remarks, 7/21/10)

REALITY: “The Biggest Beneficiaries Of Reform Will Be Wall Street Itself”

• LLOYD BLANKFEIN, Goldman Sachs CEO: “I Listened To A Speech By Barack Obama At Wall Street, And One Of The Points He Made Resonated With Me Because I’d Said It Myself. He Said That The Biggest Beneficiaries Of Reform Will Be Wall Street Itself.” (Homeland Security & Government Affairs, Permanent Subcommittee On Investigations, U.S. Senate, Hearing, 4/27/10)
• VIKRAM PANDIT, Citigroup CEO: “A Firm Advocate Of Strong Regulatory Reform.” “Citigroup CEO Vikram Pandit has pledged support for financial regulatory reform under consideration by Congress, according to a letter obtained by The Hill. Change is needed to create robust markets, investor confidence and trust in the financial system, Pandit wrote President Barack Obama shortly after his speech in New York pushing for reform. After two trying years for Citi and other financial institutions, Pandit said he has been ‘a firm advocate of strong regulatory reform.’” (“Citi Chief Supports Financial Reform Bill,” The Hill’s On The Money Blog, 4/27/10)
• J.P. MORGAN:  “‘It’s Obvious We Need To Reform Our Financial System. JPMorgan Has Supported Most Of The Things That Came Out,’ Jamie Dimon Said As He Accepted An Award Thursday From The Executives’ Club Of Chicago. ‘We Agree With 80 Percent. We Might Be Right On The Other 20 Percent.’” (“Jamie Dimon ‘80 Percent’ In Favor Of Reform Plan,” Chicago Tribune, 4/22/10)

REID CLAIM #4

REID RHETORIC: “Ford Motor Company Would Probably Be Gone” Without Auto Bailout

• SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV): “If It Were Up To Them [Republicans], Ford Motor Company Would Probably Be Gone.” (Sen. Reid, Floor Remarks, 7/21/10)

REALITY: As “The Only U.S. Automaker Not To Take A Bailout” Ford Reported “Its Best Quarterly Performance In Six Years”

• “Ford Is Reaping The Benefits That Go With Being The Only U.S. Automaker Not To Take A Bailout.” (“Rejecting Bailout Wins Political Capital For Ford,” The Hill, 1/27/10)
• “The Ford Motor Company Had Its Best Quarterly Performance In Six Years, Earning $2.1 Billion, And Now Expects To Return To Profitability This Year, Executives Said On Tuesday.” (“Ford Makes $2.1 Billion, Its Fourth Consecutive Quarterly Profit,” The New York Times, 4/27/10)